Intensify Meaning
/ɪnˈtɛnsɪfaɪ/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo render more intense.
verbTo become intense, or more intense; to act with increasing power or energy.
Sentence Examples
The doctors want to intensify the treatments.
It is unavoidable that the fighting will intensify.
CEFR Practice Quiz
As the storm grew closer, the wind began to ____ even further.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The storm is expected to ____ as it moves toward the coast, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
Word Origin & History
From intense + -ify. Compare French intensifier.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] storms in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the epoch when humans have become a major geological and climatic force."
— 2012 January 26, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2012, page 70:
"Feminist critiques of continuity discourse have become increasingly audible within the mainstream Jewish world, intensifying last year after [Steven M.] Cohen himself was accused of serial sexual harassment."
— 2019 August 7, Marissa Brostoff, Noah Kulwin, “The Right Kind of Continuity”, in Jewish Currents:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
As the storm grew closer, the wind began to ____ even further.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The storm is expected to ____ as it moves toward the coast, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.